Mochi Lion Covina — Restaurant in Covina

As a longtime fan of Dot & Dough and later Mochi Lion, it truly pains me to write this review, especially because I have a great deal of respect for one of the co-owners, Eric. However, I feel it’s important to be honest in the hopes that it encourages improvement.

One of the ongoing issues I’ve noticed is the incredibly high staff turnover, which may be why I rarely see the same employee twice. This likely contributes to inconsistencies in both food and drink preparation. For example, on my last visit, I ordered a hot chocolate that tasted like barely flavored water—it was disappointing, especially given the price point.

Cleanliness is another concern. During my last two visits, I noticed the tables were visibly dusty. As someone who worked in food service as a teen, I understand how hectic things can get, but a clean dining space is essential and speaks volumes about overall care and professionalism.

I genuinely want Mochi Lion to succeed, which is why I’m taking the time to share this feedback. I’ve enjoyed many visits in the past, but the recent inconsistency, cleanliness issues, and staff turnover have made me hesitant to return. I hope the team can address these concerns and continue to grow—because when it’s good, it’s...

I love stopping by Mochi Lion! Their mochi donuts are way better than their malasadas, in my opinion. And their corn dogs? So good. My favorite is the half sausage, half cheese, but honestly, you can’t go wrong with any of them.

I haven’t tried a lot of their drinks, but I definitely wouldn’t recommend the ube milk tea (or whatever it’s called). It doesn’t taste like ube at all—super disappointing and honestly undrinkable. But to be fair, that’s the only thing I’ve ever gotten there that really let me down.

Service is always great! Simon helped me once—super friendly and gave great recommendations. Most of the time, though, I see Mark when I go in. He’s always cleaning the restaurant, even when I just drive by.

If you haven’t tried Mochi Lion yet, I’d definitely recommend it—just maybe skip the...

I’ll start off with the good but am frustrated. We had a single doughnut, it was good enough obviously better when fresh but good. Decoration was cute. Now the part I’m frustrated about is how I didn’t realize that I was made to give a tip. My friend who was with me caught when I signed the iPad and auto pressed continue that the dollar tip was highlighted not the no tip. Now don’t get me wrong, it’s not a lot of money but it’s the morality that bothers me most. That was scummy to take that from me especially when I waited for them to finish wrapping up what they where doing (that took maybe a min so not long but I didn’t press them) and then I only ordered the one thing that took three seconds for them to place in a bag and hand to me. Also, they do not serve water. I will not...